Alex McLeish back in football as Genk manager

Former Scotland and Rangers manager Alex McLeish. Picture: SNS

Alex McLeish was named head coach of Belgian first division club Racing Genk in a surprise move yesterday.

The former Aston Villa, Rangers and Scotland manager had been out of work since leaving English Championship club Nottingham Forest last year. Genk are 13th in the 16-club Belgian first division, a situation similar to that McLeish faced at Birmingham City, where he guided the club to success in the English League Cup final in 2011, but was twice relegated, before joining the Blues city rivals Villa.

The 55-year-old lasted only one season at Villa Park before his brief spell with Forest. As a player he made nearly 500 appearances as a central defender for Aberdeen and represented Scotland 77 times.

His new club issued a statement on their Facebook page yesterday, which read: “KRC Genk is proud to present its new trainer: Alex McLeish.

“He signed a contract for two seasons. Welcome Mr Alex McLeish,”

McLeish succeeds Emilio Ferrera who was dismissed following Genk’s 3-1 defeat by Mechelen in their opening league fixture.